Bethlehem (300), Etzion DCL, Tue 10.1.12, Afternoon

14.00 till 16.00

Etzion DCO
Arrival 15.10, Three  and  later 5 Palestinian cars were in the parking lot. Inside the (ice cold)

waiting hall 3 people  are waiting in front of the turnstyle, which is  separate from the counter with the soldier on duty.

But the soldier on duty was not there. The people waiting - a Christian mother with her daughter from Talitha Kumi and a man - told us that they have been waiting for about. half an hour. H. immediately notified the Superior in charge , and the soldier appeared the next minute, very polite and friendly.

The mother from Talitha did not tell me what she wanted. We spoke about Talitha, and she said that she had all the documents she needed to go to Jerusalem whenever she had something  to do there.

The man was there to apply for a permit to allow him to accompany his mother on the 10th of January to the hospital  Augusta  Victoria on the mount of Olives. She is being treated for back problems. One travel document was missing. Somebody had to bring it from Bethlehem. So he had to wait, but he was optimistic that he would get the correct permit. 

The soldier left, but returned after H's phone call in order to take care of the case of a young father who needed  a special permit for an ambulance driver to take him and two of his children to Jordan for treatment of the children in a special clinic. There was one document missing, but he too was confident that he would make the trip.

Har Homa checkpoint .
There were 3 cars  waiting ahead of us. One was superfically checked  ( 1 minute lifting the door of the trunk), the others , including us, could just pass.

After this we left, because Avital had urgent work to do.